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Healthcare organizations need to be quick and efficient in communicating with their patients—after all, patients don’t have a lot of time to wait for critical messages like discharge instructions or dosing guidance.  When dealing with patients who have limited English proficiency (LEP), it may be tempting to use automated Machine Translation (MT) tools to speed up the communications process, but MT alone can be a risky approach. Regulations like Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act emphasize the importance of review and editing by human medical translators. Machine translation may be fast and cost-effective, but compliance with regulations like Section 1557 is non-negotiable. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at how hospitals and healthcare organizations can strike a balance, using machine translation post-editing (MTPE) services. Table of Contents Section 1557 and Language Access Machine Translation in Healthcare When Machine Translation is Compliant When MT Needs Human Review (MTPE) Compliance Risks Best Practices for Healthcare Organizations Frequently Asked Questions About Machine Translation Compliance in Healthcare Building Safer, Compliant Translation Workflows in Healthcare Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act requires individuals with LEP to have meaningful access to information about their healthcare. While it acknowledges that machine translation can be a useful tool for streamlining communications to patients with LEP, it also warns against using it as the sole means of translation for critical documents—things like discharge papers, insurance coverage information, and consent forms, just to name a few examples.  “If a covered entity uses machine translation for critical documents, those translations must be reviewed by a qualified human translator to ensure accuracy, when accuracy is essential, “when the source documents or materials contain complex, nonliteral or technical language, or when the underlying text is critical to the rights, benefits, or meaningful access of individuals with LEP,” reads a 2024 memo on language access and Section 1557 from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This is because machine translation isn’t always reliable on its own—there are numerous instances where machine translation tools produce inaccurate or unclear translations of important information. Having qualified human translators review machine translations ensures that these errors don’t slip through the cracks. HHS does allow for unreviewed healthcare machine translations in emergency situations where a qualified translator is not available and action needs to be taken swiftly: “If an emergency medical technician must provide urgent medical care to an individual with LEP, and no other language assistance services are available, it may be reasonable to use machine translation technology to communicate with that person,” while waiting to find a professional translator or medical interpreter. However, these translations must be reviewed later to ensure accuracy, and any errors should be corrected as needed.  If you’re looking to stay compliant with Section 1557 while ensuring accurate, patient-centered communication, get in touch with Avantpage to learn how our qualified human translators can support your language access needs. Machine translation is any sort of software that automatically translates speech or text from one language to another—think of tools like Google Translate or DeepL. Increasingly, generative AI tools like ChatGPT are being used for machine translation as well. However, it’s important to keep in mind that machine translation tools may struggle to accurately translate medical jargon and clinical terminology. Healthcare organizations can usually get by using unreviewed machine translation for non-critical messages like appointment reminders, patient education handouts, and general clinic info. On the other hand, critical documents like consent forms, discharge instructions, medication guidance need to have a human in the loop.  Whether that means working with human translators to translate them from scratch or having human reviewers edit machine translation output after the fact, there should always be a human professional involved in translating these documents. In the following sections, we’ll go over some examples of when machine translation can be used on its own, and when a human needs to be involved. While you should always strive for 100% accuracy in your communications to patients, there are some non-critical documents where machine translation is unlikely to produce significant errors. In these cases, machine translation alone can be compliant. Below are some guidances for specific examples where unreviewed machine translation meets healthcare compliance standards: As the American Translators Association notes, translations must be reviewed by a human when accuracy is essential to access. That means that when documents have an impact on a patient’s care or feature significant amounts of technical jargon, accuracy is key—here are a few examples of instances where machine translation post-editing is necessary in healthcare settings: Using machine translation improperly can introduce serious risks for healthcare organizations. Accuracy limitations are the most immediate concern: Even small translation errors in discharge instructions, medication dosing, or follow-up care can lead to clinical mistakes, adverse events, or hospital readmissions. Just as concerning are privacy risks—many free machine translation tools are not HIPAA-compliant, meaning protected health information could be stored, reused, or exposed without safeguards. Additionally, if machine translation errors prevent patients with LEP from fully understanding their care, benefits, or legal rights, organizations may fail to provide the “meaningful access” required under Section 1557. In real-world scenarios, incorrectly translated discharge instructions have led to patients misunderstanding treatment plans or medication schedules—outcomes that are both dangerous for patients and legally risky for providers. If you’re not sure when machine translation alone is sufficient, a language service provider can help. Contact Avantpage today to devise a language access plan that uses machine translation effectively and safely. At Avantpage, we work with hundreds of healthcare organizations to safely implement machine translation into their workflow, speeding up the translation process without compromising accuracy. Over the years, we’ve developed the following best practices for healthcare machine translation: Ultimately, integrating MTPE into your translation workflow is a matter of reducing risk—for both you and your patients—while maintaining efficiency and accessibility. When accuracy impacts patient safety and compliance, machine translation alone isn’t enough. Partner with Avantpage to implement secure, human-reviewed MTPE workflows you can trust. A compliant MTPE workflow typically involves generating a machine translation draft followed by a review from a qualified human linguist experienced in healthcare terminology. This ensures accuracy, cultural appropriateness, and legal compliance. Avantpage provides end-to-end MTPE solutions, including workflow design, documentation, and auditing support to keep your organization both efficient and compliant. Yes. Consumer-grade tools often do not meet HIPAA standards, which can expose patient data to privacy risks. Avantpage uses our secure, HIPAA-compliant translation platform and proven processes to protect sensitive patient information while maintaining high-quality translations. The deciding factor is impact on patient care, rights, or compliance obligations. Avantpage provides expert consultation to classify your documents, recommend MT vs. MTPE use, and implement robust processes so you can confidently balance efficiency with legal and patient safety requirements. Section 1557 requires that patients with LEP can understand information affecting their care, rights, or benefits. Raw MT alone often cannot meet this standard for critical content due to accuracy limitations and a lack of cultural nuance. Avantpage’s MTPE solutions ensure that translations are both linguistically precise and compliant with meaningful access requirements. Organizations should maintain records of which materials were machine translated, which underwent post-editing, and who reviewed them. Documenting workflows, vendor qualifications, and review steps demonstrates due diligence in audits. Avantpage provides guidance and templates for proper documentation to satisfy Section 1557 and internal compliance requirements. While MTPE isn’t mandated explicitly in regulations, industry guidance from HHS and the American Translators Association emphasizes that critical patient content must be reviewed by qualified humans. Avantpage applies these industry standards to ensure that every translation meets both legal and clinical expectations. The key is a tiered approach: use MT alone for low-risk communications (appointment reminders, general info) and MTPE for critical content affecting patient care or legal rights. Avantpage assists healthcare organizations in designing these workflows, training staff, and selecting secure, compliant MT tools—so efficiency doesn’t compromise patient safety or legal obligations. Machine translation can be a powerful tool for improving efficiency and expanding language access—but it rarely stands alone. For communications that affect patient safety, rights, or clinical outcomes, qualified human review is essential to meet Section 1557 requirements and ensure meaningful access for patients with LEP.  Healthcare organizations that proactively evaluate their translation workflows—or partner with experienced healthcare-focused language service providers like Avantpage—can move faster without compromising compliance or patient care. Contact us today at (530) 750-2040 or [email protected] to learn more about how we can help you strike the right balance for all your healthcare machine translation needs.

Election officials face a complex web of requirements when it comes to providing election translation materials for voters. With federal mandates, state regulations, and tight deadlines converging during election season, understanding what needs to be translated (and when) can feel overwhelming. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about election translation requirements, timelines, and best practices to ensure every eligible voter in your jurisdiction can access their ballot. Table of Content Understanding Federal Translation Requirements
State-Level Translation Requirements
Critical Translation Timelines
Best Practices for High-Quality Election Translations
Common Translation Challenges and Solutions
Measuring Translation Success
Frequently Asked Questions The foundation of election translation requirements comes from Section 203 of the Voting Rights Act. This federal law requires jurisdictions to provide voting materials in languages other than English when specific thresholds are met. Your jurisdiction must provide translated materials if:
Section 203 currently covers Spanish, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and several Native American languages. The U.S. Census Bureau determines which jurisdictions are covered, updating the list after each decennial census.
If your jurisdiction is covered under Section 203, you must provide professional translation services for all election materials that are available in English. This includes: The requirement extends beyond just paper documents. Any information you provide to English-speaking voters must also be available in covered languages.
Many states have enacted their own language access laws that go beyond federal requirements. California, New York, Illinois, and other states mandate translations even when jurisdictions don't meet Section 203 thresholds.
Before planning your translation needs, verify:
State requirements can vary significantly. Some states specify exact materials that must be translated, while others leave more discretion to local election officials. Understanding your state's framework is essential for compliance with government translation regulations.
The most common mistake election offices make is waiting too long to begin the translation process. Here's why timing matters, and when you should start each phase. Begin vendor selection and onboarding. Research qualified election translation providers, request proposals, and establish contracts. Look for vendors with experience in election translations who understand the stakes of accuracy and timing. Audit your materials. Create a comprehensive list of every document requiring translation. This includes new content for the current election and updates to existing materials. Finalize source content when possible. While some materials depend on candidate filings and ballot measures that come later, many documents can be prepared early. Voter registration information, polling location details, and procedural instructions typically don't change. Begin translating evergreen content. Start with materials that won't change, such as voter registration guides, general election information, and instructional content. Translate ballot content. Once candidates are finalized and ballot measures are set, prioritize ballot translations. This is your highest-priority content because errors here directly impact voting. Plan for quality assurance. Build in time for review cycles. Professional translation requires multiple review passes to ensure accuracy, especially for complex legal language in ballot measures. Complete voter guide translations. These substantial documents require significant time. Voter guides often contain candidate statements, ballot measure arguments, and detailed procedural information. See how Avantpage has successfully translated California's Voter Information Guides with tight deadlines. Conduct community review. Consider having community members who speak the target languages review materials for clarity and cultural appropriateness. Finalize all translations. At this point, every document should be translated, reviewed, and approved for printing. Coordinate with printers. Ensure your printing vendors receive final files with adequate time for production, especially if you're printing multi-language documents. Distribute mail ballots. Many jurisdictions now mail ballots to all registered voters. Translated ballots must be included in mailings to appropriate households. Update online content. Make sure your website displays all translated content accurately and that users can easily find materials in their language. Download the Election Translation Timeline Roadmap Whether you're managing two languages or twelve, having a clear roadmap makes the process more manageable and ensures you meet all requirements on time. Election translation isn't just about language proficiency—it requires understanding legal terminology, ballot formatting, and the consequences of errors. Work with providers who:
Real-world example: When the California Office of State Publishing needed to translate voter materials totaling over 100,000 words into nine languages, having a specialized provider with election expertise made the difference between meeting the deadline and missing it. Much of your election content repeats from cycle to cycle. Professional translation providers use translation memory tools to:

Request that your vendor maintain translation memory for your jurisdiction. This investment pays dividends in future elections.
Elections involve many moving parts, and delays happen. Build two-week buffers between major milestones. This cushion prevents small delays from becoming compliance crises. If candidate statements arrive late or a ballot measure requires last-minute revisions, your buffer time absorbs the impact without jeopardizing printing deadlines. Professional translation ensures linguistic accuracy, but community review adds another layer of quality. Native speakers from your jurisdiction can identify:
This step doesn't need to be formal—even informal feedback from community members improves the final product. Learn more about effective language access consulting strategies.
Ballot measures often contain dense legal text that's difficult to translate clearly. The solution is to start with plain language in English when possible, making translation more straightforward and the final product more accessible. Work with your legal team to identify opportunities for clearer language before translation begins. Some content, like candidate statements, arrives close to election day. Address this by:
Case in point: When a commercial printing company needed election materials translated for three California counties with over 100 files in just 48 hours, having established processes and a dedicated team made it possible. Translation is an investment, but costs can be managed through:

Remember that the cost of non-compliance (both legal and in terms of voter disenfranchisement) far exceeds the cost of proper translation.
Election translation projects often involve coordination between election offices, legal teams, community organizations, and printing vendors. This complexity can lead to miscommunication and delays.
Solutions include: How do you know if your translation program is working? Track these metrics:
- Voter turnout among language minority groups: Are LEP voters participating at rates comparable to English speakers?
- Error reports: Are you receiving complaints about translation quality or accessibility?
- Compliance audits: Are you meeting all federal and state requirements?
- Community feedback: What do community organizations say about your materials?
Regular assessment helps you improve your program over time. The Yolo County Elections Office demonstrates how strategic language access planning can move performance ratings from last place to first in just six months.
Section 203 is a provision of the Voting Rights Act that requires certain jurisdictions to provide election materials and assistance in languages other than English. Jurisdictions are covered if they have more than 10,000 or 5% of voting-age citizens from a single language minority group with limited English proficiency. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes a list of covered jurisdictions after each decennial census. You can check the current determinations on the Census Bureau's website or contact your state's Secretary of State office. The Department of Justice also maintains information about covered jurisdictions. All materials provided to English-speaking voters must also be available in covered languages. This includes ballots, sample ballots, voter registration forms, voting instructions, polling place notices, voter information guides, absentee ballot applications, and election-related websites. Timeline depends on volume and complexity, but most election materials require 3-4 weeks for translation and an additional 2-3 weeks for quality assurance and review. Complex documents like voter information guides may need 4-6 weeks. Always build in buffer time for revisions. While machine translation technology has improved, it's not recommended as the sole solution for official election materials. The stakes are too high for translation errors. However, machine translation with post-editing by professional linguists can be appropriate for some materials. Consult with qualified translation providers about the best approach for your needs. Costs vary based on language combinations, document volume, turnaround time, and formatting complexity. Spanish translations typically cost less than Asian or Native American languages due to translator availability. Rush projects incur premium pricing. Budget 15-30% of your printing costs for translation services, though this varies widely by jurisdiction size. Yes, if your jurisdiction is covered under Section 203 or state language access laws. Web content is considered election material and must be available in required languages. This includes voter registration information, polling place locators, sample ballots, and any other information provided to English-speaking voters online. Translation refers to written materials (ballots, guides, forms), while interpretation involves spoken language assistance. Both are typically required for comprehensive language access. Translation handles printed and digital materials, while interpretation supports in-person interactions at polling places and voter assistance hotlines. Look for translation providers with demonstrated experience in government and election work. Ask for references from other election offices, verify their quality assurance processes, and confirm they have translators familiar with election terminology. Professional associations and state election official networks can provide recommendations. Non-compliance can result in legal action from the Department of Justice, civil rights lawsuits, consent decrees requiring extensive remediation, and federal monitoring of your election processes. Beyond legal consequences, inadequate language access disenfranchises voters and undermines democratic participation in your community. Federal law allows voters to bring someone to assist them at the polls, except in limited circumstances (employers and union representatives are generally prohibited). However, providing official bilingual poll workers and translated materials ensures consistent, accurate assistance for all voters and reduces potential conflicts of interest. Election translation requirements are complex, but they're also manageable with proper planning. By understanding federal and state requirements, starting early, working with qualified providers, and building buffer time into your schedule, you can ensure every eligible voter has access to the information they need. The goal isn't just compliance, it's ensuring that language is never a barrier to civic participation. When you invest in high-quality translation with adequate planning time, you strengthen democracy in your community. Start planning your next election's translation needs today. Your future self (and your community's voters) will thank you. About Avantpage: Avantpage specializes in language access solutions for election offices nationwide, helping jurisdictions meet their translation and interpretation needs while maintaining the highest standards of accuracy and timeliness. With decades of experience translating election materials for California and jurisdictions across the country, we understand the unique pressures of election cycles and deliver quality results on time, every time.

Patients with limited English proficiency (LEP) face a unique set of challenges when it comes to the healthcare system—all too often, breakdowns in communication lead to medical errors, poor understanding, and underutilization of healthcare services.  Given that LEP individuals make up a significant portion of the nation’s population—about 25 million individuals, to be precise—it’s important that health plans have a clear, concise and multilingual communication strategy that enables LEP members to get informed and advocate for themselves. One excellent way to engage your LEP members is to emphasize omnichannel communication, a strategy that provides a single, integrated customer experience across all communication channels, like your website, member portal, printed letters, text messages, and emails. Reaching LEP members effectively requires a strategic, omnichannel approach that ensures understanding and accessibility. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at what omnichannel communication is and how you can implement it into your communications processes to boost engagement among your LEP members and enable them to make better, more well-informed decisions about their healthcare. Table of Contents What Is Omnichannel Communication? Why LEP Members Need an Omnichannel Approach Best Practices for Omnichannel Communication with LEP Members How Omnichannel Communication Drives Member Engagement Avantpage’s Role in Supporting Omnichannel Member Communication Measuring Success in Omnichannel Communication Frequently Asked Questions About Omnichannel Communication Making Every Message Meaningful-On Every Platform  Omnichannel communication is a strategy that focuses on delivering coordinated, consistent communications to members across all of your communication channels.  Here’s an example of an omnichannel approach: When sending a member a letter about their health plan in mail, you also make sure that they receive that information in their email inbox, their member portal, and perhaps even a text message notification, all in their preferred language. By delivering the same message via all of the different channels available to you and your members, you’re covering all your bases and increasing the likelihood that members open and review the content of your message. Emphasizing consistent messaging across all of your channels also creates a seamless member experience and makes it easier for members to access and understand them. An omnichannel communication strategy will be helpful for all of your members, but LEP members in particular may benefit from this approach. A major aspect of the omnichannel approach is consistency. This is also key when it comes to language access—if you send LEP members a printed letter and an email in their preferred language, but messages in their member portal and SMS are all in English, you simply aren’t reaching them as effectively as their English-speaking counterparts. Additionally, LEP members may have different preferences around technology than English-speaking members—a recent study found lower engagement in telehealth services among LEP individuals. This could suggest that print messaging may lead to higher engagement among LEP individuals. And the risks of a single-channel approach to your communications are clear: If you only send members emails, they’re more likely to miss appointments, misunderstand their benefits, and lower satisfaction overall. On the flip side, using multiple channels of communication allows members to select the one that works best for them. Implementing an omnichannel communication strategy doesn’t have to be daunting—by following the best practices listed below, you can implement a thorough, well-formed omnichannel communication strategy that boosts engagement for your LEP and English-speaking members alike. For letters, brochures, and other messages that you send via mail, it’s important to use plain language and clear, easy-to-read formatting. Be sure to work with a language service provider to develop multilingual translations of these letters to send letters to members in their preferred language. Using concise and simple language in your original English letter makes the translation process significantly smoother and faster, so try to keep things as straightforward as possible, avoiding complicated jargon and convoluted sentence structure. Your organization’s member portal should have an accessible design and language that complies with the rules laid out in the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 508. Members should easily be able to switch to their preferred language. As with print communications, any messages or instructions that members receive in the portal should feature plain language that’s easy for readers to understand. Emails should, generally speaking, be a bit shorter than letters sent via physical mail or digital portal messages, while text messages should be no longer than 300 characters. Keep the message brief and direct them to links to the member portal or resources on your website in case they want or need to access more information. And again, be sure that these messages are culturally appropriate and translated into your members’ preferred language. Be sure to have multilingual support options—whether that means hiring multilingual staff to operate the phone lines or working with an interpreting agency for on-demand access to an over-the-phone interpreter. Automated messages should be translated into multiple languages and, just like with written messages, should feature clear scripts written using plain language. Across all of these channels, be sure you’re conveying the same message to members—they should not be receiving conflicting messages between multiple different channels. In order for omnichannel communications to work, every message you send about a particular topic should complement one another.  A well-executed omnichannel strategy boosts member engagement by improving the flow and accessibility of information. When members receive clear messages across their preferred channels, they’re more likely to understand next steps and act accordingly. For LEP members, this means providing those reminders in their preferred language, no matter what channel you use to send it—whether it’s via print, email, portal notifications, or text message. This consistency increases the odds that they’ll see and react to time-sensitive information, such as preventive care reminders or screening instructions. This approach also builds trust. When members receive messaging that is accessible and aligned across formats, they feel more supported by their health plan and more confident navigating their benefits. Omnichannel communication also helps reduce gaps in care. Coordinated messages—for instance, a mailed notice followed by an email and a portal alert—reinforce one another and decrease the likelihood of missed appointments or misunderstood instructions. Over time, this leads to higher participation in preventive care and, perhaps most importantly, better health outcomes for disadvantaged populations. At Avantpage, we’re making omnichannel communication easier with AvantSend, our HIPAA- and ADA-compliant platform that handles every step of member communications—translation, printing, mailing, and tracking. AvantSend uses artificial intelligence to coordinate print, digital, multilingual, and accessible communications. On average, our 200+ healthcare clients have saved $36 per file processed through AvantSend and their print letters have been delivered to members two days faster.  Using AvantSend, you can send critical member correspondence to your members in more than 150 different languages. Built-in QA and compliance checks allow you to rest easy knowing that you’re not compromising accuracy or security. And that’s not to mention the fact that the platform has built-in, real-time tracking from intake to delivery confirmation, so that you can gain instant insight into status, timelines and compliance.  Omnichannel communications become a breeze with AvantSend—use it to reduce administrative burden and speed up the process of developing and sending out member communications across several different channels. As you work to implement an omnichannel communication strategy, you’ll want to track the following KPIs to be sure that you’re headed in the right direction: In general, you should expect these numbers to increase as you improve the consistency of your communications across all channels. It’s also a good idea to conduct surveys of members to get feedback and determine how satisfied they are with your services and outreach efforts. Audits should also be regularly conducted to ensure compliance with relevant regulations. Use these KPIs and feedback from members to fine-tune your communication strategy. As technology and legal regulations evolve, so too does the way we communicate—what works well today may not necessarily work a year from today. By tracking these KPIs and collecting member feedback, you can be sure that your efforts are continuously improving in response to trends in member preferences and technological advancement. It’s a coordinated strategy to reach members across multiple channels — print, digital portals, email, SMS, and voice — with consistent and accessible messaging. Preventive care reminders, appointment notifications, benefits explanations, surveys, and health program communications. LEP members often face language and literacy barriers; using multiple channels ensures messages are received, understood, and actionable. AvantSend coordinates print, email, portal, and voice messages in 150+ languages while ensuring accessibility (ADA/508) and compliance. By taking an omnichannel approach to your communications, you give members the option to engage with you using the channel of their preference.  For LEP members, a multilingual, omnichannel communication strategy is an absolute must-have, as it empowers them to fully understand and act on important messages regarding their healthcare. In turn, your LEP members will be more likely to take advantage of your services and advocate for themselves within the complex healthcare system. Not only does this boost trust and member satisfaction—it also improves  health outcomes for patients with LEP. To help make your communications strategy more inclusive and accessible to all members, consider working with Avantpage. Our AvantSend platform makes it easy to implement a multilingual, omnichannel approach to your communication strategy—contact us today online, email us at [email protected], or call (530) 750-2040 to learn more about how we can help you reach all of your members on any channel.

If you want to make sure your services are accessible to as many people as possible, multilingual outreach is pretty much non-negotiable. After all, if people with limited English proficiency (LEP) don’t know about your services or how to use them, they can’t fully benefit from what you offer. This is why multilingual outreach campaigns are so important—they ensure that people with LEP are informed about critical services, from healthcare to government. Launching outreach campaigns in multiple different languages allows you to tap into diverse populations and expand your scope. As with any sort of communications or marketing process, it’s important to track the success of your multilingual outreach efforts. In this blog post, we’ll identify several key performance indicators (KPIs) that you can use to assess the ROI of your multilingual outreach efforts. We’ll also look at some strategies to boost these KPIs and improve your work if you find that you’re lagging behind a bit. Table of Contents What Is Multilingual Outreach? Why Measuring ROI Matters for Multilingual Outreach Key KPIs to Track the Effectiveness of Multilingual Outreach Calculating Your Return on Investment How Technology Supports Measuring Multilingual Outreach ROI Best Practices for Continuous Improvement Frequently Asked Questions About Multilingual Outreach ROI You Can Measure: The Power of Multilingual Outreach Multilingual outreach is any form of coordinated communication campaign that’s delivered in multiple languages to reach a diverse group of members. Take, for example, a social media marketing campaign: In addition to launching ads in English, a multilingual outreach campaign would also feature translations (or transcreations) of those ads targeted to users whose primary language is not English. Multilingual outreach encompasses a wide range of different media—from print media like letters, informational brochures, and paperwork to digital media like email, text messages, and phone calls. Pretty much any form of communication that your organization sends out can be localized into different target languages to create a multilingual outreach campaign. In doing so, LEP individuals—who make up nearly 10% of our country’s population—will better understand what your organization does and will be more inclined to actually take advantage of your services and programs. Just like any other communication effort, measuring the ROI of your multilingual outreach will allow you to understand where your organization is doing well and where you can improve. Measuring ROI gives you a better sense of where your resources need to be allocated—perhaps you want to invest more time and money into your multilingual outreach efforts. Maybe you’re even thinking about hiring full-time staff members to oversee language access projects. If you’re able to show that your multilingual outreach efforts have increased engagement and generated revenue for your organization, you’ll be more likely to convince key stakeholders of the value of investing these resources into multilingual outreach. Additionally, multilingual outreach may also be a factor for regulatory compliance, depending on your industry. Particularly in healthcare and government, regulations like the ADA and Section 508 mandate certain language access standards, making effective multilingual outreach an absolute must-have. While multilingual outreach can be costly—high-quality translations aren’t free, after all—it’s worth the investment, thanks to the increased engagement and member satisfaction it tends to drive. In this section, we’ll take a look at six different KPIs you can use to track the effectiveness of your multilingual outreach efforts. To gauge member engagement, you can look at the following metrics: A well-done multilingual outreach campaign should lead to an increase on all of these metrics. There are a couple of ways to measure comprehension and accuracy. First, you can conduct a survey that directly asks members about the comprehensibility of your communications and marketing efforts. Another way to do so is to look at the rate of errors and misinterpretations members make when interacting with your office—for example, you can compare the number of errors on paperwork members made before and after you translated said paperwork into different languages. To look at member satisfaction, you can use the net promoter score (NPS) or conduct satisfaction surveys. Satisfaction surveys should ask members for feedback on clarity, relevance, and the accessibility of your messages. Multilingual outreach campaigns should boost participation in relevant programs; look at the participation rates of members from different linguistic backgrounds in certain programs. For example, if you put out ads in Spanish and Chinese for a wellness program, expect to see higher participation rates among Spanish and Chinese-speaking members. Successful multilingual outreach will likely reduce call volume, as members are less likely to misunderstand the communications they receive from you. As time goes on, you may end up saving time and money as you spend less on correcting errors, translating, and re-issuing communications. Track engagement, utilization, and outcomes among LEP members over time to determine whether multilingual outreach is successfully reducing access gaps. Compare performance not only to English-speaking members, but also to each group’s historical baselines and known structural barriers. By tracking these KPIs and more, you can easily calculate your return on investment in multilingual services. Here are just a few simple formulas you can use to calculate the return on investment of multilingual outreach efforts. Using the table below, fill in your past and current (after updating your multilingual outreach strategy) metrics to estimate time and cost savings: For example, let’s say you’re calculating Experience ROI—perhaps your phone operators field 900 calls per month from LEP members. If you implement a thorough and clear multilingual outreach strategy that cuts those calls down to 400 per month, you can expect to save anywhere from $2,500 to $7,500, depending on how much each call costs you. Want to learn more about how to boost your organization’s efficiency and savings? Check out this recording of our webinar, “Modernizing Member Communication Workflows.” Technology makes it much easier to measure the ROI of multilingual outreach with accuracy and consistency.  Platforms like AvantSend centralize multilingual and accessible communications, offering integrated reporting and real-time dashboards that surface engagement, compliance, and member feedback across languages. Instead of relying on scattered reports or delayed data, you can see how campaigns perform the moment they launch and quickly spot where outreach is resonating—or falling short. Automation further streamlines the process by reducing manual tracking and ensuring that messages go out accurately and on schedule. These workflows minimize errors, improve data quality, and give you a clear, reliable view of how effectively you’re reaching LEP members. Effective communication doesn’t end with one or two messages—it’s a continuous process that needs to be adjusted over time to ensure clarity. Organizations should strive for constant improvement in their multilingual outreach efforts, and measuring the above KPIs can help you adjust your approach accordingly. Below are some best practices to use these KPIs for continuous improvement: If your organization interacts with populations from different linguistic backgrounds in any sort of capacity, it’s a good idea to launch multilingual outreach campaigns. Additionally, if your organization provides healthcare, government, or legal services, state or federal regulations likely require some sort of multilingual outreach efforts. This depends on several factors, such as:

- The size and scope of your multilingual outreach efforts
- The language service provider you work with for translation and localization
- The languages you need your content translated into (low-resource languages tend to be more expensive)
- Whether or not you use machine translations or other technological solutions 

Your best approach is to consult several different language service providers to get a quote for your project and determine which option is right for you.
Here are a few examples of multilingual outreach campaigns:

- A social media advertising campaign that’s translated into multiple different languages and targeted to speakers of each language.
- A customer service hotline that allows members to speak with a representative in their preferred language (instead of just English).
- Discharge papers and care instructions translated into a patient’s preferred language. When done well, multilingual outreach delivers measurable, repeatable results.  By tracking clear KPIs, you can see exactly how your efforts improve engagement, strengthen equity, and make services more accessible to all members, regardless of their linguistic background. Gauging your performance based on these metrics can turn a basic compliance requirement into a strategic advantage, showing where outreach is succeeding and where targeted improvements can drive even greater impact. Avantpage offers a streamlined way to manage, track, and evaluate multilingual outreach. With tools like AvantSend, we help teams understand the true ROI of their efforts and confidently scale what works. If you’re interested in learning more about how our translation services can help you expand your reach, contact us online, email [email protected], or call (530) 750-2040. Watch the full webinar and download our free workbook about how healthcare organizations can identify areas of improvement for multilingual member communication workflows and how to calculate ROI.

Following plain language guidelines is an important starting point for producing source material that’s ready for translation services. Although translators can produce some pretty impressive work, they aren’t miracle workers. For a translator to create a high-quality, easily readable document in the target language, the source text must be equally high in quality and just as easy to read. In other words, the source text should be written in plain language. When creating content that you know will be translated later on, following plain language guidelines is a proactive step toward a final product that’s as easy to read as the source text. Here’s our guide to observing plain language guidelines and making sure your writing is as clear and concise as possible. Table of Contents What Is Plain Language? When to Use Plain Language? Example of Plain Language in Action Why Is Plain Language Important for Translation Services? Plain Language Guidelines & Writing Tips Frequently Asked Questions About Plain Language Guidelines Make Your Message Clear The term “plain language” refers to writing that’s concise and easy to understand on the first read. Although federal agencies are already required to produce official communications using plain language under the Plain Writing Act of 2010, anybody can — and should — use plain language in their internal or external communications. Plain language is particularly helpful when you need to have a document translated. When translators have to wade through lots of dense, confusing language, it can slow down the translation process, creating unnecessary or burdensome work for the translator.
If you’ve ever asked somebody to explain a long-winded, convoluted topic to you “in layman’s terms,” you already have some familiarity with the concept of plain language. In fact, the phrase “plain language” is essentially a, well, plainer way of referring to layman’s terms. Here are a few instances when using plain language is best:  Plain language is any form of writing that emphasizes clarity and conciseness. When writing in plain language, a writer’s goal is to ensure that the text is easy for readers to understand and quickly gloss over. Here’s an example of some decidedly not plain language provided by the US General Services Administration: “Apply if you are aged (65 years old or older), blind, or disabled and have low income and few resources. Apply if you are terminally ill and want to receive hospice services. Apply if you are aged, blind, or disabled; live in a nursing home; and have low income and limited resources. Apply if you are aged, blind, or disabled and need nursing home care, but can stay at home with special community care services. Apply if you are eligible for Medicare and have low income and limited resources.” Now, here’s a revised version of that passage, written to follow plain language guidelines: “You may apply for Medicaid if you are: Notice how much easier it is to follow the second one. While the first example consists of a single, nearly 100-word paragraph, the second uses simple sentence structure and a series of bullet points to make the text a little bit easier on the eyes. Plus, it cuts the total word count down to 60. Ultimately, plain language allows individuals to find the information they need faster, making complicated topics easier to understand for wide, non-specialized audiences. Plain language isn’t just important for improving accessibility in general communications. It’s also a way to simplify the translation process from the get-go. By doing this, you can get faster translation delivery times, increased accuracy, and potentially lowered costs. Writing in plain language makes things easier for the translator(s) rendering your texts into the target language. Because translators aim to convey the meaning of the source text in the target language, content writers should aim to make that meaning as clear as possible. It may not be possible to use plain language in every piece of content — highly regulated areas like the pharmaceutical industry and legal services often have specific and formal terminology that can’t be easily simplified into plain language. Thus, it’s important to keep your target audience in mind — a scientific review committee will surely understand more niche terms than the general public. When producing public-facing content like blogs, informational pamphlets, or advertisements, plain language is critical to ensuring that both the translator and the target audience can easily understand your intended meaning. Here are a few basic tips that we recommend for writers creating content they intend to have translated later on: While jargon can be difficult to avoid, it’s also important to note that the general public may not have a solid understanding of terms you use daily in your field. For instance, the medical condition “myocardial infarction” is more commonly known as a “heart attack.” Unless you absolutely have to use the phrase “myocardial infarction,” the term “heart attack” will likely serve you better, as it’s just plain easy for readers to understand. Long sentences packed with several different ideas can be hard to follow. Try to stick to one idea per sentence and try to keep the average number of words per sentence down to 20 or fewer. When writing, you’ll often find that some words are redundant or unnecessary. For instance, why would you call something “very good,” when you can call it “great?” Not only is “great” a more specific word — it’s also quicker to read than “very good.” More often than not, you can replace phrases like “very,” “really,” or “actually,” with more purposeful words. In addition to being a key tenet of plain language guidelines, this rule’s also a staple in grade-school English classes. Passive voice constructions tend to be wordier than those in the active voice. As a result, they add unnecessary words to the sentence and can make it harder for a translator to understand the meaning. Moreover, active voice generally illustrates the main idea of the sentence more effectively than passive voice. From the writer’s perspective, direct subject-verb-object sentences may seem a bit dry and repetitive. But the truth is that they’re much easier to follow than winding sentences that have all sorts of additional clauses and information that can be expressed in a separate sentence. Directness in your word choice is also key. Whenever appropriate, try addressing the reader directly using the personal pronoun “you,” to help engage them and form a connection between the reader and writer. Plain language guidelines provide rules and best practices to make written communication clear, concise, and easy for the intended audience to understand. They focus on improving readability, reducing technical terms, and structuring content logically with tools like headings and bullet points. All healthcare and federal employees are encouraged to follow the federal plain language guidelines when creating content for the public, including government communication materials, reports, and .gov websites. Compliance ensures accessibility and transparency for citizens. Please refer to PlainLanguage.gov or learn how to build a terminology glossary for more accurate translations. The U.S. government provides resources through PlainLanguage.gov, maintained by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN). This site includes training materials, examples, templates, and the latest updates on federal plain language guidelines. Plain language improves accessibility, promotes citizen engagement, and ensures that critical information, such as public services, health guidance, or legal documents, is understood by everyone. Agencies like the National Institutes of Health use plain language to make medical and scientific information accessible to non-experts. - Use clear headers to organize content.
- Write short sentences and simple paragraphs.
- Avoid unnecessary technical terms unless explained.
- Focus on the important information and what the reader needs to know.
- Use active voice and clear verbs. Yes! Plain language training is available through federal agencies and online resources. First-time users can access beginner-friendly modules on plainlanguage.gov, while advanced courses are offered to help improve government communication skills across departments. Federal agencies may submit a compliance report annually to demonstrate adherence to federal plain language guidelines, showing how they have improved readability, simplified language, and enhanced communication for the public. Using plain language principles can simplify the translation process. It will help language service providers connect with your message and convey it in simple terms. As a quick reminder:  If you’ve already got your content drafted up in plain language and need professional translation services, contact our linguists and translators online or call us at (530) 750-2040.

Translation, at its core, is about providing meaningful access for all people to the services, products, and general information that you provide. For organizations serving diverse audiences, ensuring documents meet ADA standards is key to compliance and accessibility. ADA translation is based on the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and public or private spaces open to the general public. This law requires organizations to make communication accessible for individuals with disabilities, including vision, hearing, or speech impairments. In this article, we’ll explore the basics of what ADA-compliance services are and who needs ADA translations. Or, if you’re ready to ensure your documents are accessible to everyone, contact Avantpage to start your ADA-compliant translation project. Table of Contents - What's Involved in ADA-Compliant Translation? - Who Needs ADA Translation? - How Avantpage Supports ADA-Compliant Translation - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About ADA Compliant Translations - Mitigate Risk with ADA-Compliant Documentation ADA-compliant translation ensures that people with communication disabilities can fully engage with your content. Depending on the needs of your audience, this may include: By planning ADA-compliant translation carefully, organizations can ensure all audiences can interact with documents, websites, and materials in a meaningful way. Not sure which formats your organization needs? Speak with a translation and localization expert to find out! ADA-compliant translation is essential for organizations across all sectors, especially those that are federally regulated. The ADA includes five titles: Organizations must ensure communication is effective for individuals with disabilities, regardless of how frequently they interact with them. Fields with specific ADA requirements include: - Healthcare: Patient forms, instructions, and notices
- Education: Enrollment forms, course materials, and announcements
- Government & Elections: Voting materials, notices, and official communications
- Businesses & Public Services: Websites, customer communications, and signage Non-compliance can result in penalties, legal action, and reputational damage. By integrating ADA-compliant translation into your workflow, your organization can reduce risk while ensuring inclusivity. Avantpage provides expert ADA-compliant translation services designed to meet the needs of all audiences. Our language services include: - Large print, braille, and audio translations for vision accessibility
- Sign language and oral interpreters for hearing accessibility
- Speech-to-speech transliteration and communication boards for speech accessibility
- Full compliance with ADA guidelines and accessibility best practices
- Translation for documents, digital content, and multimedia Our team ensures that every project meets accessibility requirements while maintaining linguistic and cultural accuracy. Whether you need ADA translation for healthcare, education, government, or business, Avantpage can guide your organization through the process. Ready to make your documents fully accessible? Request a free quote or consultation with our ADA-compliant translation experts. Digital content can be adapted with screen-reader-friendly formats, alt-text descriptions for images, captioned videos, and accessible PDFs. Avantpage ensures all formats meet ADA standards while maintaining linguistic accuracy. Yes. Providing accessible documents reduces the risk of non-compliance penalties, lawsuits, and reputational damage. ADA-compliant translation demonstrates your commitment to accessibility and equity. Begin by identifying which vital documents, forms, or content need to be accessible. Or, if you’re not sure, reach out to a language service provider like Avantpage. We’ll help you identify which documents need to be translated to meet ADA guidelines and your audience’s needs. Ensuring your organization’s documents and communications are accessible doesn’t have to be complicated. With ADA-compliant translation services from Avantpage, you can provide meaningful access to all audiences, meet regulatory requirements, and demonstrate your commitment to inclusivity. Whether you need large print, braille, audio formats, or sign language interpreting, our expert team is ready to help. Contact Avantpage today at 530-750-2040 or request a free quote online to make your content fully accessible and compliant.

For many language projects, it simply isn’t enough to translate the words on paper from one language to the next. Simple, word-for-word translation may work for straightforward texts like administrative paperwork or technical instructions, but when it comes to more creative works—think outreach campaigns, slogans or social media posts—you need transcreation. Transcreation is the process of adapting content for an entirely different cultural context—while language is one major component of that, transcreation may also change the imagery, idioms, and overall emotional appeal of a campaign.  A classic example: In France, McDonald’s adapts their “I’m Lovin’ It” slogan to “c’est tout ce que j’aime” (“It’s everything that I love”), while in Quebec, it becomes “c’est ça que j’m” (“It’s that that I luv’”). The stylized “j’m” is a playful nod to the stylization of “lovin’” in English, reflecting Quebec’s bilingual culture. While these may feel like minor details, they ultimately create a more culturally appropriate and immersive experience for audiences.  In this blog post, we’ll explore the differences between transcreation and translation, giving you a better understanding of how your organization can decide which is right for a given project. Table of Contents - Translation vs. Transcreation: Definitions & Examples - Transcreation vs. Localization - Why Words Alone Fall Short - When to Use Translation vs. Transcreation - Best Practices for Culturally Appropriate Messaging - Changes and Future Outlook - Frequently Asked Questions About Transcreation vs. Translation - Don’t Just Translate: Transcreate with Avantpage Translation is a purely linguistic process—it’s best suited to documents that involve very little creativity, such as administrative paperwork, discharge instructions, dense legal texts, etc. These kinds of documents should prioritize linguistic accuracy and clarity, and there’s typically no reason to change the overall messaging.  Healthcare organizations and agencies like election boards typically employ translation services for the following types of documents: On the other hand, transcreation is a more creative process that involves factors beyond language. Transcreators adapt a text for a totally new cultural context, using different idioms, emotions, and even images, as needed. If you translate a transcreated text back into the source language, it should still get the same message across, but it won’t use the exact same words or tone as the original. Healthcare organizations and government agencies typically employ transcreation services for the following types of documents: You may have also heard about localization—another process used to adapt content for different audiences. While transcreation focuses on reimagining the message itself, localization is a broader process that also includes adjusting practical details like date formats, measurements, currencies, and culturally relevant references.  Ultimately, transcreation is one aspect of the localization process; localization aims to make content functional in a new cultural context, while transcreation is a process to make sure that the content goes beyond functionality and resonates with the target audience. When you’re adapting highly idiomatic or emotionally charged content into another language, a one-to-one translation doesn’t usually land right.  For instance, you could translate the English idiom “It’s raining cats and dogs,” word for word into Chinese, but audiences likely won’t get what you’re trying to say, as the “cats and dogs” idiom is largely unique to English. Instead, you’d want to use an equivalent expression that’s commonly used among Chinese speakers. These kinds of errors sound silly, but they’re no joke. In addition to hurting an organization’s reputation and lowering trust, they can also have severe consequences in industries like healthcare and government. In healthcare, even minor translation errors can lead to serious miscommunication, patient harm, or compliance failures. As the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control has noted, translation alone is not enough: “Too often, little or no attention is given to end-user comprehensibility and the cultural appropriateness of even well translated materials.”  In government and public health, unclear or culturally off-key messaging can mean lower vaccination or screening rates. And for global brands, mistranslated slogans or poorly adapted campaigns can derail launches and damage credibility. Across all sectors, the lesson is the same: Effective communication depends on cultural insight and emotional precision. Getting it wrong can have serious consequences. In healthcare, bad, unclear messaging can violate compliance requirements like civil rights protections, Title VI, or patient rights, ultimately exposing organizations to legal risk. And the financial stakes can be high—communication failures cost U.S. hospitals an estimated $12 billion annually, according to research from CRICO.  When determining whether to use translation or transcreation, ask yourself what the goal of the content is—if its main purpose is to inform your audience, translation is probably the way to go. If the main purpose is to engage your audience, go with transcreation instead. Translation works best when you need to make sure that the final product maintains all of the same information and details of the source text. Things like legal, regulatory, or administrative documents, instructions, and technical manuals should all be translated, rather than transcreated. When the focus is less on the nitty-gritty details of a text and more on the overall message, transcreation is the right choice. Organizations typically use transcreation for marketing campaigns, social media posts, and other forms of outreach and engagement. Creating culturally appropriate messaging may seem like a challenge, especially if you’re trying to target an audience that isn’t from the same linguistic or cultural background as you. But you shouldn’t do it alone—collaborate with a language service provider who can help you figure out the right approach for your message. Linguists, cultural consultants, and community leaders can help identify subtle language cues, imagery, and emotional tones that might otherwise be missed. Testing is also important. Focus groups and patient or consumer panels provide real-world feedback, helping you refine messaging before it reaches a wider audience. This step can reveal misunderstandings, highlight preferred phrasing, and uncover cultural sensitivities that might not be immediately obvious to you. Effective messaging meets all compliance standards while respecting cultural nuance. The best results come from responsibly leveraging human expertise with technology. Tools like translation software or artificial intelligence can speed up the process, but they work best when guided by people who understand the cultural and emotional context behind the words. Having a human in the loop helps ensure compliance and accuracy, which are especially important for healthcare organizations and government agencies. Transcreation is not without its challenges: It is typically a more time-consuming and more expensive process than translation. As a result, it can also be a harder process to scale, especially if your content needs to be adapted for several different cultural and linguistic contexts. But as a safeguard against reputational damage or non-compliance fees, it’s certainly a worthwhile investment. As technological innovations like artificial intelligence and machine translation software become more advanced, these tools may play a larger role in the process. However, transcreation requires a very deep knowledge of both the source and target languages and their cultures—automated translation tools still don’t do particularly well with text that requires cultural context to understand, and it’s unlikely that these tools will be able to completely replace humans in the transcreation process. Transcreation is the process of adapting content for an entirely different cultural context, rather than simply translating the words from one language to another. Transcreation goes a step beyond translation, emphasizing cultural appropriateness—this may involve changing certain details of the text, branding, messaging, or adapting the imagery and layout. Clarity and trust are critical in these sectors—transcreation helps ensure messages are not only understood but culturally appropriate, reducing the risk of miscommunication and improving public engagement. Transcreation allows brands to connect authentically with diverse audiences, maintaining brand voice while tailoring tone, idioms and imagery to local markets. This often leads to stronger emotional impact and better campaign performance. Translation works for technical or administrative documents, but transcreation is needed when the content relies on tone or cultural nuance—things like marketing campaigns, slogans, or community outreach materials. Start by consulting with a language service provider who specializes in your sector. They’ll assess your content and the documents you need adapted to help you determine the right language solution for your organization. Words alone are not enough. Whether you’re in healthcare, government, or global branding, effective communication requires cultural insight and emotional precision. Transcreation helps you connect authentically, enabling you to build trust across diverse communities. As you reflect on your organization’s content, consider what could be suitable for transcreation. When you’re ready to take the next step, contact Avantpage at [email protected], or call (530) 750-2040. We pride ourselves on offering translation and transcreation services that will help your message resonate, no matter the language.

Technology is transforming the way organizations approach translation and localization. At Avantpage, we carefully select and integrate translation technologies that add real value, helping our clients achieve greater accuracy, consistency, and efficiency in every project. One of the most impactful of these is translation memory (TM), which makes past translations work more efficiently for your organization.  In this article, we’ll dive into what translation memory is, explore the key benefits of this technology-driven approach, and show how it can streamline workflows, improve translation quality, and add value to future projects. Table of Contents What Is Translation Memory? How Translation Memory Works Leveraging Translation Memory What Are the Benefits of Translation Memory? How Translation Memory Reduces Costs Frequently Asked Questions About Translation Memory Build Better Workflows with Translation Memory Translation Memory reuses past translations to increase translation efficiency. When your translation project is completed, the language from the original (or source) document is stored along with the language from its translated counterpart in a secure database. This occurs with every project as you begin to build a translation memory. The information from the database is then used for any new translation projects you request. The new source document is run against the database to see if any words, phrases, or sentences match past source documents’ language. If a match is found, the linguist working on your translation can choose to use the match outright, or they can choose to adjust the translation based on the language match. In essence, translation memory allows our linguists to choose text they’ve previously translated if it suits the new document. Learn about machine translation vs. translation memory.  Translation memory software stores previously translated text segments in a database. When a translator works on new content, the software automatically compares it against this database and suggests matches. If a partial or perfect match is found, the translator can reuse or adapt the existing translation instead of starting from scratch. Over time, this process improves both speed and consistency, especially for projects with repeated terminology or recurring content like product manuals, legal documents, or marketing materials. At Avantpage, translation memory is available as an optional add-on to our translation services. While not every project requires it, this translation process can provide advantages for clients whose content involves repeated language or specific terminology. Our professional translators use translation memory to build a secure database of translation units that can be referenced in future translations. Translation memory is especially beneficial for clients such as: - Contract lawyers and legal teams – for documents with repetitive terminology, clauses, or case numbers.
- Healthcare organizations – for patient forms, compliance materials, and instructions that need consistent language across future projects.
- Government agencies – for recurring public notices, policies, and forms in multiple language pairs.
- Corporations with technical manuals – for instructions and product documentation, where consistency and accuracy are critical.
By reusing previously approved translations, translation memory ensures consistency across large volumes of content while creating long-term value for future projects. See how XTM worked with Avantpage to streamline their translation projects. By comparing your text to previous translations, our linguists have the option to use previous translations in the new document (if they fit correctly). This not only reduces the amount of time that our linguists need to put into translating a file, but it also improves the consistency of your translations. If you have words, phrases, or sentences that show up consistently within your translated documents, they’ll be translated in the same manner every time they appear in a file you send us. This reduces the room for error and allows your documents to communicate a consistent message to your clients. In short, translation memory: While setting up a translation memory is not a free service, it will save you money over time. You may not see savings in your first few projects, but as matches become more frequent, you’ll see increased savings from the matches. This will provide you with long-term savings as your translation memory continues to build. Learn more about saving money on specific types of translation projects with translation memory. Yes. Avantpage’s proprietary platform, AvantShield, ensures that all translation memory data is stored securely and handled according to HIPAA regulations. Our professional translators follow strict confidentiality protocols, so any protected health information in source files is fully safeguarded throughout the translation and memory storage process. A translation memory system stores translation units in a database. During the localization process, the system automatically suggests matches when the same or similar text appears in future projects. This not only streamlines workflows but also improves translation quality and consistency across multiple language pairs. A dedicated translation memory database offers lasting value that generic automated translation or standalone AI translation tools can’t match. While automated translation provides quick results, it doesn’t guarantee consistency across future projects. A translation memory termbase, however, stores approved translation units that professional translators can reuse, ensuring accuracy and consistency in every target language. This functionality is powerful in workflows involving repeated segments of text, like product manuals, legal contracts, or website updates. Unlike one-off automation, a translation memory system builds a long-term asset that streamlines translation costs, improves translation quality, and delivers better results for both human translators and language service providers. Learn how to make translations easier for your healthcare organization. A context match occurs when the translation memory finds an identical source text segment in the same structural context, ensuring maximum accuracy. This goes beyond simple word matching, supporting better quality assurance and more natural-sounding translations. Professional translators ensure that the translation memory system is populated with accurate, high-quality translations. While AI-powered and automated translation features can speed up certain tasks, human translators are essential for refining context, ensuring cultural appropriateness, and delivering the best user experience. A CAT tool is a professional translator’s workspace that integrates multiple functionalities, including translation memory, terminology glossary access, terminology management, and quality assurance checks. Unlike automated translation or AI translation, CAT tools rely on human translators who use stored translation units to ensure context match and accuracy. Most modern CAT tools and translation management systems support a wide range of file formats, including source files from Microsoft Office, Adobe, XML, HTML, and content management platforms. This functionality allows translators to work directly with the source file while maintaining formatting integrity in the target language. Absolutely! Each completed project enriches the database with new translation units, which can then be leveraged in future projects. This creates a cumulative benefit as future translations become faster and more consistent, which also reduces translation costs. Learn how to get the most out of your translation budget. While you may be concerned about how a Translation Memory will affect the quality of your translated text, there’s no need to worry. Your document will still go through the Translation, Editing, Proofreading (TEP) process, and all of our quality check processes. Using Translation Memory doesn’t affect the quality or accuracy of your translated text. If you’re interested in building a translation memory or starting your next translation project, give us a call at 540-750-2040 or request a free quote today.

Up until relatively recently, free machine translation tools were notoriously low quality—you’ve probably seen your fair share of posts poking fun at machine translation “fails” on social media. However, machine translation has improved significantly over the last decade, and it has become a part of many translators’ repertoires.  That said, machine translation is merely a tool to help translators move the process along faster—machine translation is still far from perfect on its own. These tools can produce deceptively fluent and easy-to-read text, but when you look closely at their output, you’ll begin to find errors and inaccuracies that human translators typically won’t make: They struggle with ambiguous language, fail to take into account the cultural context of the content, and it can be challenging to get them to stick to a consistent style guide. That’s why it’s critical to have a human in the loop. Translation technology enables rapid-fire translation of long texts—in 2022, Google Translate processed 146 billion words a day, more than most human translators will translate for their entire career. But it still makes mistakes that humans need to fix.   “Human-in-the-loop” translation refers to the process of combining the efficiency of machine translation with the accuracy and cultural awareness of human translators. It’s an important approach to translation in an age where machine translation tools are as commonplace as they are today. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the benefits of human-in-the-loop translation and why organizations in healthcare, government, and law need to make sure there’s a human in the loop, rather than utilizing fully automated translation services. Table of Contents What is Fully Automated Translation? What is Human-in-the-Loop Translation? Benefits of Human-in-the-Loop Translation How to Choose Between Human-in-the-Loop vs. AI Translations When Fully Automated Translations Work Best When Human Oversight is Non-Negotiable Building a Translation Strategy That Scales Frequently Asked Questions About Human-in-the-Loop vs. AI Translations Conclusion As the name suggests, fully automated translation is any translation process conducted solely using translation technology, with little to no human oversight. With fully automated translation, a user simply inputs text in one language, selects the target language, and receives an automatically generated translation in a matter of seconds. Using translation technology cuts costs and speeds up the translation process significantly—instead of paying somebody and waiting for them to translate a document in a matter of days, organizations can get a final translation in the blink of an eye, without having to pay much. But raw, unedited machine translation output is often rife with errors, especially for more complex documents. Because of this, fully automated translation tends to be best suited for repetitive texts that use relatively simple, unambiguous language. The quality of machine translations also varies by language. In a recent study, researchers found that Google Translate had a 94% accuracy rate on English to Spanish translations of emergency discharge instructions, but 55% for translations into Armenian. Still, when it comes to translating important medical documents, even a minor error can have serious consequences. That’s why it’s important to have a human in the loop to review automated translations and make sure they’re accurate. Like fully automated translation, human-in-the-loop approaches begin with a machine translation—but they don’t end there. After first running the document through a machine translation tool, human translators and editors review the content to make sure it’s accurate. These individuals review the translation and the original document, editing it to make sure that the final product is accurate and reads smoothly. They typically use other tools like translation memory and quality assurance tests to make sure that the translation is as accurate as possible. Human-in-the-loop workflows benefit from the speed and efficiency of machine translation, but they also cut out any errors introduced by the machine translation tool. This makes human-in-the-loop workflows particularly well-suited for important documents that need to be translated on a tight deadline without sacrificing quality, such as in healthcare and government settings. Human-in-the-loop translation has several advantages over fully automated translation. Here are a few key benefits to keep in mind: Human-in-the-loop and fully automated translation workflows can be used in different situations. While it’s good to have a human in the loop, it’s not always 100% necessary. Below, we’ll outline specific scenarios where one process works better than another. While human oversight is always a good safety net, it’s not always 100% necessary. That’s why it’s important to work with a trusted language service provider that can guide you through carefully balancing automation with human quality assurance. A language service provider can help you integrate human reviewers into existing translation workflows so that you’re not starting from scratch. Many modern translation management systems support hybrid models, allowing organizations to kick off projects with machine translation and then route the content to qualified human linguists for post-editing and quality control. With a flexible workflow in place, low-risk, high-volume content like general outreach emails or web FAQs might move through a light-touch workflow, while sensitive legal notices or discharge instructions follow a stricter protocol with multiple human checks. This kind of scalable, tiered approach ensures you’re getting the best of both worlds: the speed and cost-efficiency of automation and the reliability and nuance that only human reviewers can provide. Human-in-the-loop translation is a translation flow in which human translators, editors, and/or proofreaders review machine-translated content to make sure that it is accurate and culturally appropriate for the target audience. No. While machine translation alone may be useful for simple, low-risk content, healthcare and legal documents typically require multiple human checks to make sure that no information has been mistranslated. Yes—human-in-the-loop workflows still incorporate translation technology like machine translation and translation memory into the translation process, making the translation process go by much faster than it would without the technology. This process also lowers costs as translators do not need to spend as much time and effort on producing the final, translated document. Yes, there are several regulations that require organizations to use a human-in-the-loop workflow, particularly when it comes to sensitive documents that include patient health information. Organizations providing healthcare, legal, and government services should be especially careful to follow regulations relevant to their line of work, such as HIPAA, the ADA, and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act. Fully automated translation is not always accurate. Depending on your target language, it may have a high error rate, and depending on how sensitive a given document is, these errors may have life-or-death consequences. For example, if patient discharge papers are not translated with the utmost accuracy, the patient may not take proper care of themselves after discharge, leading to higher readmission rates and even more severe medical outcomes. Yes. Language service providers and human translators alike use translation management systems and computer-assisted translation tools to review and edit machine-translated text in a process known as machine translation post-editing services. While machine translation tools can be speedy and cost-effective, they’re still far from perfect. Fully automated translation workflows sacrifice quality and accuracy in return for a quicker and cheaper final product. Human-in-the-loop translation balances this trade-off, effectively improving the overall quality of machine translations while still delivering a final product on a quick turnaround. Accuracy isn’t just a technical matter—it’s a civil rights issue. When translations are inaccurate and error-ridden, individuals with limited English proficiency are unable to access important medical, legal, or government services. That’s why human-in-the-loop translation is critical, especially in these industries. At Avantpage, we combine cutting-edge translation tools like AvantMemory with the knowledge of expert linguists to ensure every word resonates clearly and accurately. Whether you're navigating compliance requirements or simply aiming for better multilingual communication, we’re here to support your goals with services like machine translation post-editing. Reach out at [email protected] or (530) 750-2040—or request a free quote to get started.

Desktop Publishing (DTP) Services are an important component of both print and digital translation. DTP refers to the creation and layout of documents using a personal computer as opposed to a commercial design/printing setup. DTP translation services are integrated during the translation process, and use specialized software to generate layouts and produce printed and digital materials.  In this article, we’ll explore how DTP services support translation and play a vital role in producing culturally accurate, professional-quality materials across industries. Table of Contents - What Are Desktop Publishing Services? - Industries and Use Cases for DTP Services - Why are DTP Services Important? - Translated Languages Pose Challenges to DTP Specialists - Graphic Design, Page Format and Fonts: Part of the Desktop Publishing Services Process - Why Use Professional Desktop Publishing Services? - Frequently Asked Questions About Desktop Publishing Services - Conclusion: Equitable Desktop Publishing Services Desktop publishing services involve using software tools to design documents such as brochures, flyers, reports, eBooks, and more. Professionals in DTP focus on layout consistency, typography, image placement, and design elements to produce polished, high-quality content that’s ready for print or digital distribution. DTP first appeared in the early eighties. When the Apple LaserWriter printer and Aldus’ Pagemaker software debuted in 1985, desktop publishing took off since anyone with the technology and the software could suddenly create professional-looking printed pages, complete with graphics and different fonts. Today, DTP is used across many industries, from healthcare marketing departments creating polished brochures to government entities designing internal reports and manuals. Through the use of DTP software, translation organizations can format and re-create foreign language page design/layouts both for print and Internet use, without compromising the message and feel of the original material.  DTP specialists work carefully to ensure that a culturally accurate and appropriate message is reflected through the use of graphics, fonts and design elements. While translation remains a key application of DTP, many organizations use these services for: Desktop Publishing (DTP) services are essential for maintaining the visual integrity and cultural appropriateness of translated documents across languages and formats. Whether you're localizing marketing materials, catalogs, or healthcare forms, professional DTP layout and formatting ensure that text, graphics, and design elements remain clear, functional, and appropriately adapted to the language and reading expectations of the target market. By combining the expertise of linguists, designers, and project managers, multilingual desktop publishing delivers high-quality, print- and digital-ready content that enhances readability, preserves brand consistency, and meets industry standards across global platforms. Translating files into other languages can wreak all kinds of havoc on original layouts, graphics and formatting.  Photo captions, graphs, forms or other illustrations may be inadvertently repositioned, truncated or even lost altogether.  Because some languages take up more space than others when written, the ratio of text to white space can vary widely from language to language.  Bulleted lists, hyphenation, paragraph breaks, spacing and other graphic design elements may all be negatively affected in the transition from one language to another. One other aspect of DTP services is the culturally appropriate use of color and imagery. What is perfectly acceptable in one culture may be inadvertently offensive or have negative connotations in another. For this reason, it’s important to take cultural norms into account when translating page layouts for print or digital materials. Professional translation organizations will provide multilingual DTP services to ensure that each client’s translated files are completely aligned with the target language’s visual layout and design requirements.  Formatting, punctuation, hyphenation, captions, illustrations, graphic design elements – every detail must be reproduced accurately when presented in the target language. DTP services should accurately reflect local cultural norms, provide accurate text-to-white-space ratios, and ensure that order forms, feedback forms, client contact forms and hyperlinks are fully functioning in the new target language. DTP services are used to create digital media such as web pages, downloadable information sheets, brochures and other PDF documents. Printed pieces such as flyers, handouts, brochures, signage, forms and other hard-copy materials are also formatted for printing using DTP software, design and layout services. Formatting a document or design in a language you don’t know can be challenging. Hiring a professional service offers several advantages: While desktop publishing (DTP) focuses on the layout and formatting of documents, localization ensures the content is culturally appropriate for the target market. A professional DTP process can include localization to adapt translated documents to local norms, design preferences, and reading habits. Learn more about how the best website localization services improve accessibility. Professional desktop publishing services typically support a wide range of file formats, including Adobe InDesign, PowerPoint, Excel, Microsoft Publisher, PDF, Canva, and others. This flexibility ensures your content is compatible with the tools you use for digital and print design. Linguists ensure that the translated content is accurate and appropriate, while the desktop publishing team focuses on typesetting, design, and layout. Close collaboration between linguists and designers guarantees that the final product is both linguistically accurate and visually coherent. Typesetting ensures that text is aligned, spaced, and styled correctly to enhance readability. Poor typesetting can negatively impact how your translated document is perceived by your audience, especially in languages with complex scripts or right-to-left text orientation. Multilingual desktop publishing teams can format a variety of materials, including catalogs, marketing materials, manuals, product packaging, eBooks, and presentations. Brochure and document design services are among the most commonly requested types, and Avantpage can work in the service directly into the translation process for a seamless final delivery. Outsourcing DTP to a professional desktop publishing service provider ensures access to experienced designers, linguists, and QA specialists. This is especially beneficial for complex, multilingual projects where industry-standard tools and workflows are required. Yes, templates are often used to maintain brand consistency and speed up the design process. Your desktop publishing team can work with your existing templates or create new ones that are optimized for digital and print design. Quality assurance involves a detailed review of layout, formatting, images, text placement, hyperlinks, and fonts. This ensures your translated document looks as professional as the original and functions correctly in every format. Avantpage’s in-house review team carefully proofreads documents to ensure they meet the highest quality assurance standards. Absolutely. Healthcare organizations rely on high-quality materials like multilingual patient forms, educational brochures, and compliance documents. Ensuring readability, accuracy, and visual clarity is crucial in this industry. Look for a service provider with experience in your industry, access to professional desktop publishing services, and a structured workflow that includes language services, design, and quality assurance. Avantpage has experience with multilingual desktop publishing and uses industry-standard software like Adobe InDesign for complex layouts, PowerPoint for presentations, and Microsoft Publisher for simpler documents. Contact us for a free quote on professional DTP services. Image: Sean MacEntee Whether you're preparing multilingual marketing materials, designing internal documents, or creating ready-to-print flyers, desktop publishing services ensure your final product looks polished and professional. By combining design expertise with cultural and linguistic awareness, professional DTP services help businesses communicate clearly and effectively, no matter the language or medium.

A truly accessible website does more than translate, it transforms. The best website localization services ensure every element of your digital experience, from navigation menus to multimedia files, is intuitive and inclusive for all users, regardless of their language or ability. Multilingual visitors shouldn’t have to navigate English-only dropdowns or broken links; the best localization services guarantee a seamless, welcoming experience from the first click. Table of Contents - Translation vs. Localization: A Quick Clarification - Why Full-Suite Website Localization Outperforms Simple Translation - Making WCAG Part of the Localization Process - What Are the Best Website Localization Services? - What Happens When You Get It Right? - Why Website Localization Matters and Common Mistakes to Avoid - How to Choose a Localization Service Partner - Inclusive Language. Inclusive Design. Inclusive Results. Translation converts words, but the best website translation and localization services adapt your entire website to feel natural and familiar for your target audience. This includes adjusting images, colors, measurements, and cultural references, so your site speaks their language in both words and experience. The best professional website localization services go beyond words to integrate language accessibility, cultural nuance, and scalability. They combine human expertise with technology to ensure your site meets language and WCAG standards, while evolving with your content needs, delivering an inclusive digital experience that respects all users. They do this by: The right provider combines automation with thoughtful human review, because while AI can speed up workflows, understanding requires empathy. Accessible localization means weaving accessibility into every step: navigation, media, formatting, and language. The best multilingual website localization services provide localized alt text, audio descriptions, keyboard-friendly navigation, bidirectional language support, and plain language design principles to ensure your website is usable by everyone. This isn’t about adding accessibility later. It’s about building it in from the start. At Avantpage, the best website localization services come from a careful balance of cutting-edge AI technology and dedicated human expertise. Our proprietary AI workflows and automations, developed in-house by our IT team, streamline processes to reduce overhead and speed up delivery, so your project stays on time and on budget. But technology alone isn’t enough. That’s why we have a team of on-staff native-language reviewers who bring empathy, cultural fluency, and deep accessibility knowledge to every project. This unique blend of advanced automation and human insight ensures your localization for websites isn’t simply translated, it’s thoughtfully localized and transformed into an inclusive, engaging digital experience. We don’t just convert words; we create seamless, culturally relevant, and accessible journeys that truly connect with every visitor, no matter their language or ability. In one case study, a government agency needed to make key online information accessible for Spanish-speaking users. By partnering with one of the best website localization companies, they didn’t just meet compliance, they improved engagement, trust, and overall satisfaction. Another project involved a healthcare provider reaching multilingual communities. Through culturally responsive localization, their digital outreach expanded dramatically, improving health literacy in underserved populations. Beyond anecdotal success, the numbers speak for themselves:

> 72.1% of consumers spend more time on websites in their native language
> 65% are more likely to take action, like filling out a form, when content is localized
> Accessibility also supports compliance with regulations like ADA and Section 508 Localization doesn’t just help users. It helps your brand grow with purpose. The best website localization services do more than translate, they build equity and trust by adapting content thoughtfully for diverse audiences. Common pitfalls include English-only selectors, hidden language options, ignoring cultural differences, and failing to localize metadata or member-only areas. Avoid these to maintain engagement and consistency. Unfortunately, many localization efforts fall short, from relying on tools like Google Translate to overlooking cultural nuances or key design elements.  Done right, accessible website localization bridges the gap between language and equity. Done wrong, it can damage trust and drive people away. Key mistakes to avoid include using English-only language selectors, hiding language options, neglecting cultural differences in photos and formatting, and forgetting to localize metadata and member-only sections, all of which can disrupt user experience and reduce engagement. Regularly reviewing and updating your localized content ensures consistency and better connection with diverse audiences. For more on what to avoid, explore our full breakdown of 14 common website localization mistakes. Choosing the best website localization services means finding a partner who understands your CMS, workflows, accessibility needs, and cultural nuances. Ask about their ability to work with your content platforms, handle updates, use native-language reviewers, and incorporate WCAG standards across all languages. Some questions to ask your partner before kicking off the project include: Yes. Avantpage’s website localization services are designed with accessibility in mind. Our localization process ensures translated content remains compatible with screen readers, maintains proper heading structures, includes localized alt text, and preserves accessible navigation. This approach supports WCAG guidelines across all language versions of your website. Multilingual websites that lack proper localization can create barriers for users with disabilities or limited language proficiency. By prioritizing accessibility, we ensure your content is clear, usable, and inclusive for all visitors — regardless of language or ability. Avantpage enhances user experience by localizing more than just words. Our language services adapt content to cultural norms, regional expectations, and usability best practices. This results in intuitive navigation, readable layouts, and localized multimedia elements that make international users feel comfortable and confident engaging with your website. Yes. Avantpage accounts for accessibility across all website elements, including images, videos, and interactive media. Our localization services include adapting alt text, captions, transcripts, and on-screen content so users who rely on assistive technologies can fully access and understand your site. Avantpage combines linguistic expertise with a strong understanding of usability and accessibility best practices. Rather than treating localization and accessibility as separate efforts, Avantpage integrates them into a single, strategic process — helping organizations deliver inclusive, compliant, and user-friendly websites across global markets. The best website localization services help you make a strong, accessible first impression. By prioritizing accessibility and inclusivity, you extend your global reach while fostering trust and connection. Ready to improve your strategy? Start with an audit and contact Avantpage for a free quote to build a truly inclusive digital experience. Want to see how your current strategy stacks up? Start with a simple audit.Then, when you’re ready, get a free quote from Avantpage and let’s build a digital experience that’s multilingual, accessible, and truly inclusive—from the first click to the final conversion.

For so many of us—whether we’re caring for a child, a foster or adopted loved one, an aging grandparent, a live-in relative, a friend, or a trusted caregiver—getting medical care is rarely a solo experience. It often involves the people around us, and that means communication is a shared responsibility. Patients need to understand their care, of course—but when others are involved, they should be part of the conversation too. No matter what your family looks like, clear communication in healthcare is essential. And for families who speak a language other than English, that often means having access to translation services for families—not just during doctor’s appointments, but throughout the care journey. Imagine a parent bringing their child to a clinic, hospital, or emergency room. They deserve to feel confident they’ll understand the diagnosis, treatment plan, and next steps—and that they’ll be understood in return. But when English isn’t the family’s primary language, that experience can quickly become overwhelming. Miscommunication can lead to missed diagnoses, medication errors, and serious health risks. That’s where translation services for families make all the difference. These services ensure that everyone involved in a patient’s care can understand, ask questions, follow instructions, and make informed decisions. They don’t just support better communication—they build trust, safety, and inclusion. For millions of families across the U.S., this isn’t optional. It’s essential. Table of Contents

- Families Deserve More than Just Words
- What the Law Requires-and Why It Matters
- The Real-World Impact on Families
- Moving Forward: How Providers Can Improve Language Access
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Healthier Families, Stronger Communities Language barriers can make even the most routine medical visits stressful. Parents may struggle to understand what a provider is saying about their child’s condition. Grandparents might not follow after-care instructions after surgery. A caregiver could misinterpret medication dosages or fail to follow discharge instructions correctly.  Without access to translation, families may struggle to make informed decisions. The result is often worse health outcomes and higher costs for both families and providers. But when families can clearly communicate with their care teams, they're more likely to pursue preventive care, follow treatment plans, communicate openly with providers, and make the confident, informed decisions about their health that ultimately improve health outcomes.  You can learn more about how these services work by visiting our page on translation services and healthcare translation solutions.  It’s not just good practice to offer language support—it’s the law. Under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, healthcare organizations that receive federal funding are required to provide meaningful access to individuals who are limited English proficient (LEP).  This includes offering professional translation and interpretation services free of charge. According to HHS Office for Civil Rights, organizations must take reasonable steps to ensure LEP individuals can understand and access the services they need.  Failing to meet these standards can result in legal consequences—and more importantly, puts families at risk of not receiving effective care. For families, the absence of reliable language services creates a domino effect. A single misunderstanding can lead to a missed follow-up, which turns into a preventable emergency room visit. A caregiver who doesn’t understand a discharge plan may unknowingly worsen a loved one’s recovery.  In contrast, translation services for families build trust. They ensure parents can confidently consent to treatment. They help patients adhere to care plans. They give families the voice and agency they need to be active participants in their health—not just passive recipients.  Language access is also about dignity. Every family deserves to understand their own medical journey, regardless of the language they speak. Healthcare providers don’t have to overhaul everything overnight, but there are clear starting points. Working with a professional translation partner can help organizations assess where gaps exist and how to effectively close them. That could mean translating intake forms, providing access to on-demand interpreters during telehealth visits, or making sure discharge instructions are available in a patient’s preferred language.  Digital technologies are playing an increasingly vital role in improving access to healthcare for diverse families. Remote interpreting technology platforms, AI-driven translation tools like machine translation post-editing (MTPE), multilingual client portals, and telemedicine services are all helping bridge the gap—especially for families in rural or underserved areas. These tools aren’t meant to replace human connection, but they serve as valuable extensions, ensuring more inclusive communication and care. At Avantpage, we offer global language services tailored specifically for healthcare providers, enabling them to reach families in meaningful, accurate, and culturally appropriate ways. Our solutions include access to usage data and language data, helping providers understand and track the needs of their patients, making it easier to deliver care that truly resonates. You may also like... Language and Trust: How Communication Shapes Health Outcomes Why a Spanish Medical Interpreter is Essential for Equitable Healthcare Access How to Make Telehealth Services More Accessible for All Patients Any individual with limited English proficiency (LEP) is eligible for translation or interpretation services when receiving care from healthcare organizations that receive federal funding. This includes families whose primary language is not English. These services are required under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act, which protect patients from discrimination based on language barriers.  No. Translation services for families in healthcare must be provided free of charge to patients with LEP when the organization receives federal funding. This includes in-person interpretation, phone or video interpretation, and translated written materials such as forms, prescriptions, and discharge instructions. According to the HHS Office for Civil Rights, these services must be readily available to ensure meaningful access.  Families should inform the front desk, admissions team, or care providers that they need language support. Hospitals are expected to have protocols in place to provide interpreters on-site, over the phone, or via video. In many cases, translated materials—such as consent forms or discharge instructions—should also be available. If families are unsure, they can ask for “language assistance” or “interpreter services” at any time during their visit.  Translation refers to converting written content (like forms or discharge instructions) from one language to another. Interpretation, on the other hand, is verbal or signed conversation and used during interactions—like doctor visits or telehealth appointments. Both services are critical components of effective language access for families.  While accurate translation is critical, cultural competency helps ensure that healthcare communication is not only understood but also respectful and relevant. Providers can work with professional language service providers who offer culturally informed translations. Training staff on cross-cultural communication and hiring multilingual personnel also strengthens this effort. Together, cultural competency and translation services for families build trust, improve patient satisfaction, and lead to better health outcomes.  Only if they’re trained and qualified as medical interpreters. Healthcare facilities must ensure interpreters meet competency standards in medical terminology, ethics, and confidentiality. While many bilingual staff want to help, relying on untrained personnel can lead to serious miscommunications and liability risks.  Onsite interpreters are best suited for complex, sensitive, or lengthy medical conversations. When in-person support isn’t selected, video remote interpreting (VRI) or over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) can effectively support simple interactions. Ideally, all three options should be accessible, allowing patients with limited English proficiency to choose their preferred method. Providers should consider the patient’s needs, the context of care, and the complexity of the visit when selecting the appropriate modality.  When healthcare is truly accessible—linguistically, culturally, emotionally—families thrive. Children receive timely, appropriate care. Parents feel supported in making medical decisions. Patients can manage chronic conditions with clarity and confidence.  The long-term benefits are powerful: improved health outcomes, lower costs, reduced disparities, and stronger trust between communities and care providers. Simply put, translation services for families aren’t a bonus—they’re the foundation of equitable care. If your organization is ready to make language access a priority, get a free quote and start building a better experience for every family you serve. Contact us to learn how we can be a trusted partner in your language access efforts.